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Thursday, May 05, 2016

Intolerant “Inclusion” at Marquette

Welcome to the world of the politically correct. When calls for inclusivity and diversity demand a form of submission, silence and/or repression, we have done a disservice to our community. In the real world people disagree, sometimes on important matters, sometimes on very personal matters with very civil implications, e.g. gay marriage and gender issues. Suggesting that repression of discussion of such matters will advance any real diversity and true toleration is both misguided and offensive. It does not teach our students how to navigate such difficulties in life and society, but only how to compartmentalize them. It does not teach them how to think, or to debate and disagree constructively, but only to accept what they are told – indoctrination rather than education. We are losing our ability as a society to engage in real conversation and to live with and manage conflict. And Marquette University is encouraging rather than remedying that development.

And then summarizing:

The inclusivity agenda does not encourage diversity. It is rather an imposed uniformity that chooses which views to silence and which views to embrace. It is also at fundamental odds with the notion of the liberal arts university, and special interests have driven their agenda so far in this regard that some now even argue to change the first amendment. I urge administration and our community as a whole to reconsider our understanding of terms like inclusivity and diversity, and take more caution in how they hope to encourage them. Let us recall what toleration truly means.

Why is this published anonymously?

I am not some kind of rabble-rouser; I generally steer clear of debates such as these. Yet these developments disturb me greatly, as they do many others on campus. But to question this agenda openly is literally to risk one’s career (hence the anonymity of this letter).

That’s right. This professor fears his or her career will be jeopardized. Are we talking tenure, promotion, emeritus status, salary, grants, teaching load? Probably any and all of the above, depending on this person’s situation.

This came to our attention just a few minutes after answering another e-mail from a faculty member, who explained why he or she was fearful about speaking out on our behalf concerning Marquette’s attempt to fire us.

In short, the climate on campus is one of politically correct bullying. In this context, faculty who have spoken out on our behalf (Tom Jeffers and Dan Maguire), and students like Caroline Comstock and Kevin Selwa (who have done likewise), are to be commended. As is the student group Turning Point USA.

These folks have been quite brave. But you should not have to be brave on a university campus to speak out. But at Marquette, the politically correct bullies dominate the discourse.